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- #11
I hope she doesn't mind I'm quoting what she wrote to me as I was getting started...
Last time when I hatched my call ducks I used the carton method, and I got 7 out of 8 to hatch out themselves. I was amazed, since a 50% hatch with call duck eggs is considered great. The carton def. helps alot. Since the eggs are stable, the duckling doesnt have to constantly change position because the egg moved.
Some people are against helping, but I do help, especially with call ducks. This is what I do. I cool the eggs for about 5-10 min each day from day 4, up until the duckling pips the air sac. Spray the eggs sometime during that cool down period with warm water.
Then about 14 hours after the duckling is through the air sac, if the duckling is not through the shell, I make a small hole right on the top of the round end of the egg, so the duckling can breathe. The air stimulates the veins in the membranes to dry up, and the rest of the yolk to start sucking up into the ducks abdomen. Then I wait another, maybe 12 hours. Then I break off the big end of the egg, being careful not to tear into the membrane. Then I take a q-tip with some warm water and wet the membrane, if the veins are still full with bright red blood, then I just wet the membrane and stick the egg back into the egg carton and wait another 4-6 hours. Then I rewet the membrane and check again. Once the veins are mostly gone, I proceed to streatch the membrane over the egg, so the duck is free from it. Then I pop the ducks head out of the shell, and set it back in the carton in the incubator for the duckling to get out of the egg himself.
Sometimes this is necessary, especially with show quality call ducks. Since the ducklings have short necks, large round heads, and tiny beaks, sometimes the only thing that they can do is break the air sac, and then they need help getting the rest of the way out.
They hatch at about 26 days, so stop turning the end of day 23.
If you need anymore information, just ask. When are they due to hatch? Let me know how the hatch goes.
Good Luck smile
Chelsea
Sundown Waterfowl & Poultry
In my incubator I used 50% humidity, misting with warm water/ lid open once a day, turning on my homemade turner 3x a day...Then move them into the hatcher, 75% humidity, no misting/opening, into a carton with holes cut on the bottom for air flow. They seem to wind up taking 27 days, but that's probably just my incubator...I've only had one do most of the work himself...the rest I did have to break off the top of the egg, the portion where the air cell was...then they did the rest. For this reason I candle super quick on day 26 to see when they internally pip...just use a small hand flashlight so it's real fast...I give them a chance, but if there is no progress, then that's when I help...
Some people are against helping, but I do help, especially with call ducks. This is what I do. I cool the eggs for about 5-10 min each day from day 4, up until the duckling pips the air sac. Spray the eggs sometime during that cool down period with warm water.
Then about 14 hours after the duckling is through the air sac, if the duckling is not through the shell, I make a small hole right on the top of the round end of the egg, so the duckling can breathe. The air stimulates the veins in the membranes to dry up, and the rest of the yolk to start sucking up into the ducks abdomen. Then I wait another, maybe 12 hours. Then I break off the big end of the egg, being careful not to tear into the membrane. Then I take a q-tip with some warm water and wet the membrane, if the veins are still full with bright red blood, then I just wet the membrane and stick the egg back into the egg carton and wait another 4-6 hours. Then I rewet the membrane and check again. Once the veins are mostly gone, I proceed to streatch the membrane over the egg, so the duck is free from it. Then I pop the ducks head out of the shell, and set it back in the carton in the incubator for the duckling to get out of the egg himself.
Sometimes this is necessary, especially with show quality call ducks. Since the ducklings have short necks, large round heads, and tiny beaks, sometimes the only thing that they can do is break the air sac, and then they need help getting the rest of the way out.
They hatch at about 26 days, so stop turning the end of day 23.
If you need anymore information, just ask. When are they due to hatch? Let me know how the hatch goes.
Good Luck smile
Chelsea
Sundown Waterfowl & Poultry
In my incubator I used 50% humidity, misting with warm water/ lid open once a day, turning on my homemade turner 3x a day...Then move them into the hatcher, 75% humidity, no misting/opening, into a carton with holes cut on the bottom for air flow. They seem to wind up taking 27 days, but that's probably just my incubator...I've only had one do most of the work himself...the rest I did have to break off the top of the egg, the portion where the air cell was...then they did the rest. For this reason I candle super quick on day 26 to see when they internally pip...just use a small hand flashlight so it's real fast...I give them a chance, but if there is no progress, then that's when I help...
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